


Feral Blood and Shattered Innocence

by animatedrose



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Animal Attack, Blood and Gore, Danger, Despair, Gen, Injury, Isolation, Murder, No Communication, Pokemon eat humans, Pokemon kill humans, Terminal Illnesses, Ultra Beasts, apocalypse kind of scenario, from my old fanfiction.net account, hydreigon is basically the rival and main antagonist, just a kid trying to help his mom, medicine shortage, old, randomized encounters, the world is not as we know, there are no tame Pokemon left, virus made Pokemon go crazy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24655957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animatedrose/pseuds/animatedrose
Summary: After a freak viral outbreak five years ago, the Pokemon race became bloodthirsty killers that have proven to be uncontrollable. With communications lost between whole regions, cities, and even the Leagues themselves, the world has fallen into chaos and fear.Andrew Grief, a skittish ten-year-old, is sent to fix the problem. His partner? A feral wild Pikachu caught by complete accident.
Kudos: 10





	1. First Blood

Andrew Grief wasn’t your average Kanto kid. He didn’t dream of fame and fortune. He didn’t wish to see mysterious forests, monstrous mountains, and faraway lands. He didn’t want to befriend hundreds of wild creatures in pursuit of being a league champion or a training master.

Andrew just wanted to stay home, safe and sound in Pallet Town, and care for his sick mother. Simple and sweet. That’s all, really.

Fate, unfortunately, had a cruel way of making even the simple and sweet things a tad more difficult.

_Just run._

Before Andrew stood a long stretch of grass that would take him into Route 1. Across Route 1 was Viridian City, where he could get the medicine his mother desperately needed. Prof. Oak was too busy with his research with help him this time, leaving the skittish ten-year-old boy to brave the journey himself.

It wasn’t so much the journey that scared him as it was the monsters he might encounter on said journey.

_Don’t stop for anything. Just run._

It was one stretch of long grass but, as he had witnessed when others left town, anything could lurk in that grass. He’d seen immense dragons emerge from seemingly nothing, grass that barely reached his knees. All the old tales of birds and rats lurking here had long since vanished. The grass held greater dangers now, since the virus hit.

_It’s a straight shot. Just get across. Don’t stop. Just run._

Six years ago, something happened that threw the whole world into chaos. A strange virus emerged from a seemingly harmless vaccine used to cure sick wild Pokémon that researchers found. It mutated into a deadly virus that turned any infected Pokémon into feral monsters. Worse yet, it began to infect tame Pokémon as well from just being near an infected Pokémon.

Within the span of a year, the entire Pokémon race was infected.

_You can make it. Go fast. Just run._

Five years ago, Andrew had witnessed one of the first infected wild Pokémon attacks on a human. It was a monstrous beast that he had never seen before—some kind of black, blue, and purple dragon with three heads, two pretending to pose as hands. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed. Within seconds, the beast had brutally slaughtered three kids that had just begun their Pokémon journeys with the last batch of tame starters that Prof. Oak had.

Their mission had been to capture an infected Pokémon and bring it back for study. It was obvious that the task was impossible. The last few tame Pokémon in Kanto were lost that day, along with Andrew’s small hopes of things going back to normal.

_You can do it. Just run._

Since that day, Andrew rarely left Pallet Town. Most of the time, Prof. Oak was with him for protection. The infected Pokémon, deemed “feral and dangerous” for good reason, avoided them due to how strong the professor’s Pokémon were.

It was only a bluff, however. Even Prof. Oak’s Pokémon had long since become infected, lashing out at anything that moved in an effort to kill. Prof. Oak was still hunting for a cure, long since given up on by the researchers who had been unlucky enough to create the virus.

_You’re fast. You can make it. Just run._

This time, however, Prof. Oak wasn’t here to protect him. Andrew was all alone, about to cross into infected Pokémon territory just so he could retrieve medicine for his mother. She had fallen ill over a year ago, becoming bedridden only months later. Andrew and his two older siblings, Cathy and Harold, watched over her diligently. Cathy, eighteen years old and drop-dead gorgeous, was too scared to get near the town exit. Harold, nineteen years old and a handsome athlete, had returned to Pallet Town after his Pokémon had become infected due to fears of getting attacked by them.

That left Andrew as the only one to retrieve the medicine. Skittish and cowardly ten-year-old Andrew.

_If you move fast, they won’t get you. Just run._

With no tame Pokémon left, Andrew had no defense if he was attacked by an infected Pokémon. It was a good thing that the virus couldn’t affect humans. Andrew was grateful for that much, at least. Unfortunately, humans didn’t have supernatural powers like Pokémon did.

Since the dragon’s appearance five years ago in this very route, all kinds of invasive Pokémon had appeared throughout the world. You never knew what you’d run into. That was the scary part. You could run into a harmless Pokémon, like a Magikarp…or an extremely dangerous one, like that three-headed dragon.

Andrew prayed he didn’t run into the latter, the creature that had haunted his nightmares since he’d first seen it.

_Maybe they’ll recognize you from being with Prof. Oak. Just run._

Now here he stood, at the edge of Route 1, the very scene of slaughter where the infected Pokémon showed how feral they now were. Gone were the friendly creatures spoken of in bedtime stories. The only things out there now were wild, crazed, bloodthirsty killing machines.

Yet people still attempted to tame them. It was rumored that the Gym Leaders of the Pokémon League managed to keep control over their Pokémon despite the virus’ effect. Whether this was true or not, Andrew didn’t know.

Better yet, he didn’t care. It wasn’t like he was suddenly going to go on a journey and find out. He was going to stay right here, in Pallet Town, and care for his mother. Nothing more, nothing less.

_Maybe they’ll leave you alone. Just run._

Fate, however, had a nasty way of ruining such carefully laid plans.

_RUN!_

Hands clenched tightly at his sides, Andrew braced himself…and ran like hell.

The first patch of grass was crossed without a hitch. The second and third were a blur. The fourth drew fear when Andrew saw the grass rustling, causing him to run twice as fast as before. The last patch was, thankfully, easily crossed with a final burst of speed.

 _There! See? That was easy,_ Andrew thought as he stumbled into Viridian City. _Now get to the mart, get mom’s medicine, and go. You won’t even need to go through the grass…_

_…_

_…except the one patch blocking the entrance to Pallet Town._

Medicine bag in hand, Andrew froze upon seeing that patch on his way back. The rest of the grass was easily dodged using the ledges. This was the only patch left the cross. It was the only thing that stood between him and safety.

_You can do this, Andrew. Go fast. Don’t stop. Just run._

Taking a deep breath, Andrew gathered his courage…and ran like hell again. His heart pounded like a drum and the blood roared in his ears. He kept his eyes on the clear ground just beyond the tall grass. It was only a few steps away now. So close…

The clear ground was instantly torn from his sight, replaced by a snarling creature that rose from the grass. Andrew screamed, flying to a stop. The grass and dirt were torn up in chunks as he clawed his way to a halt, eyes wide in terror as the monstrosity emerged to fully reveal itself to its hapless prey. The worst thing about it?

Andrew _knew_ the beast.

It was the great three-headed monster from five years ago. The very beast that had slaughtered three kids, all his age. The creature that had haunted his nightmares.

Someone was screaming. It took Andrew a minute to realize that it was him. He was screaming, all too aware of what his fate would be. He’d be ruthlessly murdered by an infected monster that had already killed three people, perhaps more on its way to Kanto from wherever it had originated.

“Andrew! Run!”

Andrew didn’t immediately register the voice. He only heard it when the monster ceased snarling, shifting its middle head’s position to glare over its shoulder. On the edge of the route was Prof. Oak, his coat littered with tears and stains from his research. He had something in his hand and was waving it frantically.

“Hurry! Use this! It’ll give you a chance to get away, Andrew!” the older man shouted, pitching the object with all his strength in an overhand throw.

The object sailed over the monster’s middle head, bouncing along the grassy ground until it rolled to a stop near Andrew’s left foot. The beast snorted, returning its full attention to Andrew. The boy didn’t hesitate to snatch up the object, jumping briefly when he felt its round, metallic exterior. He knew what it was immediately.

It was a Poké Ball.

Unfortunately, Andrew didn’t get the chance to throw it. He was forced to scramble backward when the beast lunged, jaws snapping. Getting to his feet, he promptly ran back the way he came…only to fly to a stop with a panicked scream when the grass in front of him burst into flames. He whirled around, only to be knocked aside by one of the beast’s side heads. Tumbling briefly, the ten-year-old barely managed to get on his hands and knees before he was forced to scramble back to avoid another snap of its three sets of fanged jaws.

Andrew’s screaming only got louder with the arrival of a second infected Pokémon. This one was one he recognized as native to Kanto. It was a Pikachu, though its black and red eyes and bloodstained fur briefly threw him off. For a moment, he feared that the yellow mouse would attack him as well. When it finally did attack, it didn’t go for him.

It attacked the three-headed monster!

 _What is it doing? It’ll die!_ Andrew thought, briefly panicking. Then he remembered. _Wait! Why am I worrying about an infected Pokémon? When they’re done fighting, I’ll be back on the menu! I’ve got to get out of here!_

“Andrew, over here! Hurry!” Prof. Oak shouted, waving his arms at the edge of the route. “Hurry! Run!”

Andrew didn’t wait to see who was winning the fight. He bolted, racing around the beasts in an effort to get back home to safety. Once he got there, he would never leave alone again!

His mad dash for freedom was cut short with a combined blast of fire, ice, and electricity. Andrew flew backward instantly, screaming in terror. His gaze snapped back to the warring monsters. The three-headed dragon roared in agony as the mouse chomped on its middle head’s neck, blood gushing from the wound and staining the grass red. Despite being smaller, the Pikachu was faster than the three-headed behemoth and was inflicting quite a lot of damage upon it.

“Andrew! Throw the Poké Ball at the Hydreigon and run for it! Hurry!” Prof. Oak shouted.

 _Hydreigon?_ Now Andrew had a name for the monster of his nightmares.

His gaze shifted from the bloody battle to the red and white sphere in his hand. A Poké Ball, used to capture wild Pokémon. He doubted it would be able to capture the three-headed monster. It would, however, temporarily trap it. Was that what Prof. Oak was aiming at? Giving Andrew time to escape while the dragon was briefly stuck in the Poké Ball?

“Andrew, hurry! Quickly now, my boy! Throw it!” Prof. Oak yelled, waving his arms frantically.

 _I might as well try it,_ Andrew decided. _I should be able to outrun the Pikachu. The infected Pokémon never seem to stray out of the tall grass. Let’s hope that holds true right now!_

Pulling his arm back, the ten-year-old boy briefly hesitated. What if it broke out instantly? There would be no time to run. What if the Pikachu proved faster than him? He’d be killed. What if he missed the beast entirely? His throw was never very good, after all.

_Don’t think. Just throw and run. NOW!_

Shoving the frightening thoughts from his mind, Andrew took a step back before heaving the sphere forward with a mighty overhand throw. Crossing his fingers and praying desperately for his survival, he whipped around and ran like hell back toward Prof. Oak. Leaping over the diminished flames from the behemoth’s last attack, the boy didn’t hesitate to throw himself into the arms of Prof. Oak once he was free of the tall grass.

“It’s okay! You’re safe, Andrew! You’re safe!” Prof. Oak reassured, backpedaling quickly toward Pallet Town. He never took his eyes off of the scene before him.

Andrew’s bad aim managed to hit true, smacking the behemoth square in the chest. The Hydreigon was instantly sucked into the Poké Ball in a blast of white light. The Pikachu, having been gnawing its way through one of the dragon’s necks, gave a loud screech of surprise when its quarry disappeared. The mouse promptly fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The Poké Ball landed nearby it, button flashing and sphere shaking madly as its captive fought to escape. Within seconds, the Poké Ball suddenly snapped open and unleashed the beast in an explosion of white light. Upon discovering that it was again free, the Hydreigon unleashed an earth-shattering roar of anger.

The beast knew that it had been tricked. Its prey was gone, having escaped beyond the long grass of its territory. It could no longer chase the twiggy two-legged creature that it had deemed “prey”.

It watched as its prey, along with another twiggy two-legged creature that smelled of blood, quickly ran away from the long grass and into their territory—where all the twiggy two-legged creatures lived. The Hydreigon didn’t dare enter their territory, instinctively protecting its own territory from other creatures that might seek to steal it.

It would wait, as it always did, for the prey to come to it. It had all the time in the world to do so, after all.

Speaking of prey…

The Hydreigon turned back to the long grass behind it, fangs bared. It was time to get back at the little lightning mouse for the wounds to its neck. The tiny creature would regret attacking it. A quick sweep of the grass yielded nothing but the strange round thing that had trapped it earlier.

Where was the lightning mouse?

A few more minutes of hunting proved fruitless. The lightning mouse was gone. Snorting, the beast chose to forget about the reckless creature. It had probably run away since its scent was fading. Now it would have to hunt other prey.

Disappearing into the long grass, the behemoth dragon didn’t even glance back at the mysterious metal ball behind it.

Unknown to it, the button was flashing and the sphere was shaking madly. After a minute, the flashing died and the shaking ceased.

.F.E.R.A.L.

It was a few hours later, near sunset, that Prof. Oak reluctantly returned to the edge of Route 1. In his hands was a fishing pole. Scanning the grass quickly, he soon spotted the glitter of fading sunlight bouncing off of a metal surface. It was the Poké Ball that Andrew had used earlier to distract the Hydreigon.

“Let’s hope my aim isn’t too bad,” Prof. Oak muttered.

With a swift flick of his wrist, the line was cast. Tied to the end of the line was a small magnet. The magnet landed on the ground with a light thud. Luckily, it was close enough that it drew the metallic red and white sphere in. Once he was sure that it was magnetized securely, Prof. Oak yanked the pole back. The Poké Ball came with it, landing at his feet.

“Thank Arceus there was nothing around to try _eating_ it this time!” the old man chuckled, slowly bending down to pick it up. “Well, there we are! One Poké Ball successfully retrieved!”

When the light shone on the Poké Ball again, Prof. Oak squinted. Though faint, the red top on the Poké Ball was indeed transparent enough to see its contents. Inside of this particular Poké Ball, he could barely make out a round shape with long appendages sticking up from its top and a jagged appendage ending in a rectangle sticking out from behind it. Prof. Oak gasped, eyes widening in shock as he reared back from the sphere.

“Oh my goodness! Did Andrew actually…?” Prof. Oak promptly turned around, dashing back to his laboratory. “I can’t believe this! What luck! There might actually be a chance now! Thank Arceus, yes!”


	2. Second Blood

Andrew had no idea why he was here in Prof. Oak’s laboratory. He hadn’t heard from the guy in days since the incident in the grass with the three-headed dragon, Hydreigon. Personally, he didn’t mind not hearing from the old man. Prof. Oak could be a tad creepy to be around sometimes.

It hadn’t even been a week since then and yet here he was, sitting in a chair in an empty room of the lab, waiting for Prof. Oak to return from “getting something he forgot”.

Andrew was on edge. He knew that Prof. Oak kept his infected Pokémon downstairs, but what would stop them from ripping through the floor—ceiling in their case—to get to him?

Nothing, that’s what. Zip. Zero. Nada. Farfetch’d eggs.

Before his mind could wander even farther into just how many ways the professor’s Pokémon could kill him, Prof. Oak suddenly returned. The old man was struggling to balance a mix of papers, CDs, pictures, and…

Was that a Poké Ball? Oh no…

“Look, Prof. Oak, before you get any crazy ideas—”

“I’ve done it, Andrew! I’ve done it!” Prof. Oak announced, completely ignoring the ten-year-old boy’s desperate attempt to get out of whatever situation he was about to be thrown into. “I’ve finally found a way to possibly find out what has happened to the League…and maybe the rest of the world, while we’re at it!”

“Wait, what?” Andrew interrupted.

Ever since the virus went global, communication between regions practically collapsed. Even communicating between a region’s main cities was difficult. Everyone was pretty much cut off from the rest of the world. Friends, families, Gym Leaders—even the Leagues themselves—lost contact with each other. As the dangers outside increased, communication got less and less until…nothing.

This problem was bad, especially if something seriously dangerous happened. Over a year ago, communication with the Indigo Plateau suddenly ended. Rumors started about how the Elite Four, and maybe even the Champion himself, had been overwhelmed and killed by their own infected Pokémon.

Of course, that’s just the rumors.

Without communication, nobody really knew what had happened to them. Without any tame starter Pokémon, there were fewer people attempting to apply for trainers licenses. Even the Gym Leaders were reluctant to leave their cities in case infected Pokémon chose to attack in their absence. The Indigo Plateau was a communication dead zone currently.

If communications were fixed, things might become relatively normal again…except for the bloodthirsty monsters lurking in the tall grass.

“I think I may have found a way of at least getting the better of these feral Pokémon, Andrew!” Prof. Oak explained, dropping all of his paperwork and junk on the table beside him. He scooped up the Poké Ball that Andrew had spotted earlier. “Do you recognize this?”

“It’s a…Poké Ball?” Andrew nervously answered, spotting a dark splotch inside of it. “And this helps communication… _how_?”

“No, not the Poké Ball!” the professor barked. “What’s inside of it?!”

“Nothing, hopefully,” Andrew replied, smiling nervously at the older man.

“Remember what happened earlier this week? With the Hydreigon in the grass?” Prof. Oak reminded. “You came across something else there, something that focused on attacking the Hydreigon and not you. Remember?”

 _The Pikachu,_ Andrew realized fearfully. _Oh Arceus, please no!_ “Yeah, I remember. Why?” he squeaked, sweating bullets.

“ _This_ —” Prof. Oak practically shoved the sphere in Andrew’s face. “—is it! _This_ is the Pikachu that _you_ caught!”

“ _Caught_?!” Andrew yelped, instantly terrified. “I didn’t catch _anything_! Nothing at all!”

“Yes, you did!” Prof. Oak cried giddily. “And we’re in luck! It’s very young and weak! It should be easy to tame!”

“ _No_! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” Andrew screeched, falling backwards out of his chair. He began to Krabby-walk away from the babbling old man. “I _know_ where this is going and I’m not having _any_ part of it! _No_! _Forget_ it! That’s _suicide_ , what you’re going to ask!”

“But just look at it, Andrew! It’s weak, _harmless_ really!” Prof. Oak pleaded, shoving the Poké Ball under Andrew’s nose again.

“ _No_! That thing’s not _harmless_! _None_ of those things out there are _harmless_!” Andrew shouted. “That thing nearly ate through that dragon’s neck! And that’s a _dragon_! Think of what it can do to _me_! I can’t! Ask somebody else!”

“I’ve tried but nobody else will do it!” Prof. Oak argued pathetically. “You’re my last hope, Andrew!”

“Well, keep searching! I don’t _want_ to be your last hope! I have a mother and a brother and a sister to watch out for!” Andrew yelled. “My mom’s sick! She needs medicine! I have to get it for her!”

“And that’s why I’m asking _you_ , Andrew!” Prof. Oak desperately explained. “You’re the only one left in Pallet Town, aside from me, who will go into the tall grass! The only one aside from me who _can_ leave Pallet Town!”

“Not by _choice_!” Andrew countered.

“And most of all, you do that _without_ a Pokémon to protect you! Nobody else, not even I, would ever do that!” Prof. Oak pressed on. “You have something all of us have lost, Andrew!”

“Well, you can _have_ it! I don’t _want_ it!” Andrew cried. “I’m _scared_ of Pokémon, Prof. Oak! _Scared_! Do you know what that _means_? And if I don’t go into the grass to go to Viridian City and get mom’s meds, she’ll get sicker and sicker until she _dies_! And I’m _too young_ to live without my mom!”

The lab quickly grew silent. Prof. Oak slowly trudged back to the table where all of his work lay, resting the Poké Ball on its wooden surface. Andrew sat against the lab wall opposite of the professor, knees pulled up to his chest and his head buried in his arms. Both were silent for a long time.

“…I could…”

Andrew lifted his head, acknowledging that Prof. Oak had spoken.

“…I could…get your mother her medicine,” Prof. Oak quietly said. “I always could. I was just…so obsessed with finding a way to…you know, fix things. Maybe if I’d paid more attention, I would’ve noticed how sick she was getting.”

After a moment, Andrew finally spoke up. “It’s a good idea. I know getting communication back is important but…I’m just not your guy. My brother would be better if he hadn’t…you know…”

“I know,” Prof. Oak said, hanging his head. “I…I’m sorry…for pushing all of this on you so suddenly.”

“It’s okay. I just… I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t,” Andrew whimpered.

Prof. Oak didn’t make a move to stop the ten-year-old as Andrew stood up and left, leaving the old man alone again. The professor cast a sorrowful glance at the Poké Ball on the table in front of him. The dark splotch inside of it shifted, moving around slightly and causing the sphere to slowly tilt on its side.

“I’m sorry,” Prof. Oak muttered, looking away in shame.

.F.E.R.A.L.

Andrew slowly headed home, the sun setting in the distance. Its light illuminated the surrounding trees and grass, giving them an orangey glow. The tall grass north of him swayed gently in the breeze, easily hiding the presence of its bloodthirsty occupants. Andrew resisted the urge to shiver.

His house was only a short walk across town from Prof. Oak’s lab. The lights were all on and he could see shadows against the windows—his sister and brother, caring for their mother. He increased his pace, reaching the door and heading inside.

His mother was laying in bed in her room, her oldest children watching over her. Andrew approached quietly, hands clutching his upper arms, hugging himself. She looked paler than she did yesterday. He’d have to get more medicine soon.

“What did he want?” Harold asked.

“…Nothing,” Andrew replied.

“Bullshit,” the older boy accused. “What did he want?”

“…To have me restore communications,” Andrew reluctantly answered.

“How? There’s no way to do that. You’re ten!” Cathy argued, herding her brothers out of the room so they didn’t distress their mother.

“It’s okay. I refused,” Andrew reassured.

“But how? How would you restore communications?” Harold demanded.

“…When I ran from the monster before, when I got caught on Route 1, I apparently caught something,” Andrew admitted after a moment. “Prof. Oak check it out, said it was young, that I could tame it. I could leave here and restore communications between the cities, maybe even to the League.”

“You _caught_ something? One of _them_?!” Harold barked, rearing back in fear.

“…Yeah,” the ten-year-old nodded, eyes averted.

“If communications were repaired, we could maybe fix this,” Cathy muttered. “We could find the scientists, cure the virus!”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Harold warned, glaring at her. He looked back at Andrew. “You said you refused. Why?”

“Why? Because I’m _ten_! Because I have to get mom’s _medicine_! Because those things _can’t_ be tamed!” Andrew cried. “…Because I’m _scared_. Scared of _them_ …”

Cathy and Harold shared a look. When it was broken, Cathy headed back into their mother’s room. Harold threw an arm around Andrew’s shoulders, steering his younger brother into the living room and out the door.

They paused just outside the house, Harold looking up at the stars. The sun had long since set, leaving a dark but clear starry sky overhead.

“…I hated leaving them behind, you know,” Harold said softly.

Andrew stared at him, baffled.

“Them being…my team,” Harold admitted, a small smile crossing his face. “They were my best friends. We fought together, laughed together, won together… They stood by me through thick and thin. Nothing could tear us apart.”

“Until the virus,” Andrew guessed.

“Yeah.” Harold nodded, smiling bitterly. “Until the virus… Everything fell apart after that. One by one, my team went mad. They wouldn’t listen to me anymore. I thought I could fix it, get my buddies back. I was wrong. After I saw kids getting attacked by their teams in the streets, I knew there was no going back. My team was gone…forever.”

“…Why are you telling me this?” Andrew asked, wringing his hands nervously.

“Because…I think you should do what Prof. Oak asked,” Harold replied.

“What?!” Andrew jumped back, staring at his brother in horror. “Are you _crazy_?! You said it yourself! There’s _no_ going back! The Pokémon we knew five years ago are _gone_! These things _aren’t_ the same! Harold, I could be _killed_!”

“You’re fast,” Harold pointed out. “You can outrun anything if you really wanted to.”

“Those things are _hungry_! They’ll kill me! Eat me! I will _die_!” Andrew argued.

“You’re smart,” Harold countered. “Ever since Cathy and I came back, you’ve been getting mom’s medicine. Just a few days ago, you ran through the grass _by yourself_. None of us would do that.”

“I had no _choice_! Prof. Oak was _busy_! You two won’t _help_ me! Nobody else _cares_!” Andrew shouted. “If I didn’t do it, mom would _die_! I’m _ten_! I _can’t_ live alone yet!”

Harold was quiet. He turned, looking back up at the stars. “…You’re right.”

Andrew stared at him, dumbfounded. His brother was admitting that he was wrong? That didn’t happen every day.

“You’re right,” Harold repeated, louder this time. “Nobody else _does_ care. Cathy and I… We’re scared. And Prof. Oak? He’s so obsessed with fixing everything that what happens here in town _doesn’t matter_ anymore! And nobody else in town cares… I just… You’re right.”

Andrew did a double take when he saw tears welling in his brother’s eyes. “Hey, it’s okay. I get it. Everyone’s scared.”

“Yeah, but you fought that! You can _leave_ , Andrew! We… I…can’t!” Harold choked, grabbing his younger brother’s shoulders tightly. “You… You’ve left. You left! You can _leave_ , Andrew!”

“But I don’t _want_ to! I’m not a Pokémon trainer!” Andrew argued. “I’m not you! Or Blue! Or a Gym Leader! I’m not even Professor Oak!”

“Yeah. You’re something better.” Harold smiled. “You’re you.”

“…That doesn’t fix things,” Andrew said dully, looking away. “I can’t fix things. I’m ten. All I do is run away.”

“Then run away, Andrew,” Harold urged. “Run away from here. From home, from this region, from everything! I _know_ you can do it.”

“Why is everyone insisting I’m the only one that can do this?!” Andrew demanded, tearing loose of his brother’s grip.

“…Because you’re the only one that’s done anything yet,” Harold replied, lowering his hands.

“We don’t know that!” Andrew cried.

“And we’ll continue not to know that until someone goes out there and finds out for us!” Harold pointed out.

“That someone isn’t _me_! I have to care for mom because you and Cathy are _useless_!” Andrew shouted in frustration.

Harold froze up, eyes wide. Then he sighed, turning away. He looked up at the stars again. “…You’re right. Cathy and I haven’t done anything since we came home back then. We just cower in our rooms like kids. You… You’ve done _everything_. Mom would’ve died a long time ago without you.”

“Which is why I _can’t_ leave,” Andrew stressed. “Don’t you see? If I leave, mom will _die_ …and I don’t _want_ to be alone out there, Harold. I’m _scared_ …”

Harold hung his head. “I know. I am too. I just…want everything back to the way it was before.”

“Don’t we all?” Andrew murmured.

.F.E.R.A.L.

The following morning, Andrew stared at the ceiling of his bedroom. The nightmare had returned again, only it was clearer now that it had been before.

The monster—Hydreigon—had attacked Pallet Town. Though it destroyed everything, it specifically aimed for his house. Cathy and Harold had run away—like kids, as Harold had described their behavior last night—leaving Andrew behind. The beast, far larger than before, tore away the roof and reached in to pluck them up with its side heads. Andrew had screamed and kicked and cried as the beast dangled his mother above its central head, jaws parting before devouring her. The beast had snapped its teeth over him next…and he woke up in bed, safe but so very terrified.

After what felt like an eternity, but was probably only an hour or two, he pulled himself out of bed and headed across the hall to his mother’s room. Cathy was there, holding her hand tightly. Andrew froze up before darting over.

“Is she okay?” he asked softly.

Cathy jumped when he spoke before looking at him. Tears were in her eyes. “She’s barely breathing. I think her meds aren’t working anymore.”

“Then I’ll get more!” Andrew reassured. “I’ll leave right now!”

“Didn’t you hear me?” Cathy hiccupped. “I don’t think they’re working! The meds! They stopped working!”

“They _couldn’t_ have! That’s the best stuff Viridian has!” Andrew argued.

“If we could get to Saffron… They have a hospital!” Cathy sniffled.

“I’ll talk to Prof. Oak, see what he thinks. Then I’ll run to Viridian for medicine. They _have_ to have something that’ll work!” Andrew declared.

“Be careful,” Cathy choked, scrubbing her eyes.

Andrew left the room, running downstairs. He crashed into Harold at the bottom.

“Whoa, whoa! What’s the rush?”

“Mom’s meds might’ve stopped working,” Andrew reported, dashing to the door and pulling on his shoes and coat. “I’m going to go see Prof. Oak right now and then run to Viridian, see if they have anything stronger.”

Harold looked up at the stairs and cursed. “Will she be okay?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll be back later. Help Cathy take care of her,” Andrew ordered, yanking the front door open.

If Harold gave a reply, Andrew never heard it. He ran to the lab as if his feet had wings. Tearing open the lab door, he ran inside and called out for the professor. The elder emerged from a back room, hair messy and lab coat hanging off one shoulder.

“Mom’s gotten sicker!” Andrew said quickly. “What do I do? Cathy says her meds might’ve stopped working. Mom was barely breathing!”

“Andrew, calm down,” Prof. Oak ordered, grasping the boy’s shoulders. “Barely breathing, you said? They might be expired. Medical shipments all but stopped earlier this year because sea travel is too dangerous.”

“What do I do? Viridian’s _got_ to have something that will help her!” Andrew cried, clinging to the elder’s wrists.

“Andrew, calm down. We’ll go there now and see if there’s anything stronger there,” Prof. Oak reassured, gently pulling out of the boy’s grasp and going to the back room again.

“And if they don’t?” Cathy’s words about Saffron rang in his ears. “What if they have nothing that can help her?”

“They will, Andrew. They have to,” Prof. Oak exclaimed, coming back with his own set of five Poké Balls.

“Cathy said Saffron might be able to do better,” Andrew hiccupped, rubbing tears from his eyes.

“We can’t think like that, Andrew. We can’t get to Saffron right now. We have to make do with what we have,” Prof. Oak explained gently, handing the boy a tissue. “We’ll go to Viridian and see what they have in stock. If there’s nothing… We’ll deal with that bridge when we reach it. Now let’s go.”

“…Where is it? That…you know!” Andrew forced out.

“What? The ‘you know’? I…” Prof. Oak blinked, realization dawning. “The Pikachu?”

“Yeah! Where is it?” Andrew demanded, swallowing down his terror of the beast.

Prof. Oak darted toward the back room, coming back moments later with a sixth Poké Ball. Andrew took it, holding it close as he headed for the door. Prof. Oak followed, unable to keep the eagerness in.

“You’ll take it? You really will?”

“Only this time! But if Viridian has nothing…” Andrew bit back a sob and took a deep breath to calm down. “If Viridian doesn’t have mom’s meds…I’ll at least go to Saffron. Maybe they’ll have something, something that’ll make mom better. And if I can find a way to get her to the hospital there…”

The conversation trailed off after that. The duo headed for the tall grass of Route 1. Prof. Oak kept a hand on his belt where he’d hooked his Poké Balls, ready to call one out should they run into trouble. Andrew stayed close to his side, clutching the Poké Ball to his chest like a lifeline. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was sure the little beast could hear it.

 _I hope it isn’t hungry,_ Andrew thought fearfully.

They quickly headed through the first four patches of grass without trouble. They had only just reached the fifth patch when the grass unleashed its occupants. A small yellow humanoid with a long set of black jaws erupting from the stalk atop its head tore out of the grass, jaws slamming shut inches from Andrew’s face. By then, flames had flung it backward into the grass again.

Before Prof. Oak stood a massive orange dog with black stripes and thick cream fur on its head and tail. The canine snarled, revealing sharp teeth. Its eyes were the same black and red of all infected Pokémon.

A purple fluffy insect with big red eyes pounced out behind Andrew, making the boy cry out in alarm.

“Use the Pikachu, Andrew! Quickly!” Prof. Oak urged, keeping his Arcanine’s Poké Ball at the ready should the beast turn on him. “I’ll handle the Mawile!”

Andrew looked down at the Poké Ball in his hands. He bit his lip. _If Viridian doesn’t have mom’s medicine…and I have to go to Saffron…I better get used to you!_

He flung the Poké Ball forward, a beam of bright white light exploding from it. The Pikachu appeared, shaking its head. Seeing the purple furry insect, it snarled and dropped onto all fours, fur bristling and crackling with electricity.

“Wh… What do I do now?” Andrew yelped, praying the tiny beast didn’t attack him.

“Order it to attack!” Prof. Oak replied over his shoulder. “It’s young, so its only attacking move is Thundershock!”

“Okay!” Andrew nodded, looking back at the tiny mouse before him. “Use Thundershock!”

_“PiiiiikaaaaaaCHUUUUUUUU!!”_

Electricity exploded from its tiny body, engulfing the insect in electric death. When the light died, the bug was a smoking heap in the grass.

Andrew sighed, only to scream when the Pikachu turned and pounced on him, slamming him flat on his back. Seizing the Poké Ball, he smashed it into the side of the growling rodent’s head, recapturing it before it could hurt him.

“Return! I said RETURN, Arcanine!”

_“ArrrrrCANINE!!”_

Andrew tilted his head back to see the charred remains of the wild Pokémon smoking a good distance away. The large dog was stalking toward Prof. Oak, jaws parted and eyes narrowed. Prof. Oak was pointing the Poké Ball at it but the beast sidestepped each beam, drawing closer with every failed attempt.

“Damn it! Andrew, run!” Prof. Oak ordered, stepping back.

The dog lunged, too fast and too heavy for Prof. Oak to evade. The professor was down instantly, hands shoving at its chest and neck to keep the huge head from getting any closer. The canine was stronger, slowly overpowering the old man.

_“PiiiiKAAAAA!!”_

A tiny yellow form flung itself at the beast, sinking teeth into an ear. The Arcanine reared back with a howl, shaking its mighty head to try and dislodge the pest. The Pikachu hung on, tiny feet battering at its eyes in an attempt to blind it. The dog stumbled away, shaking and rolling in the grass.

“Are you okay?” Andrew demanded, grabbing Prof. Oak by the shoulders and hauling him up. “Are you, Prof. Oak?!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” the elder yelped upon recovering. “Is that…?”

“I didn’t know what else to do!” Andrew babbled, pulling the professor to his feet. “We’ve got to go! Now!”

A loud howl made them both turn back. The Arcanine crashed onto its back, snarling and howling. The Pikachu was at its throat, biting and clawing. Blood stained both of their coats and the grass.

“No… No!” Prof. Oak pointed the Poké Ball at them again. “Damn it! RETURN!”

The beam hit the beast dead-on, turning it into red light. The Pikachu gave a squeak of confusion as it tumbled to the ground, its prey having vanished from beneath it. Before it could flee, it too was recaptured by Andrew’s Poké Ball. Prof. Oak fell to his knees, hugging the bloodied sphere of his Arcanine to his chest, shoulders quaking.

“P… Professor?” Andrew quietly asked, wanting to reach out but not daring to touch the elder.

“Why? Why did this happen? Our Pokémon… My friends… Why have they become these things, these monsters? I just… I don’t understand… Why?” Prof. Oak whispered, tears slipping down his cheeks.

Andrew didn’t touch him. They remained there for long minutes, undisturbed except by the wind. Then Prof. Oak finally rose, reattaching the Poké Ball to his belt. As he walked by Andrew, he patted the boy’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said brokenly. “You saved my life. Thank you.”

Andrew couldn’t come up with a reply. He simply followed after the professor as they left the tall grass. A few of the citizens of Viridian watched them pass through, having bore witness to the battle in the grass. Andrew couldn’t bring himself to feel pride.

He only felt fear…


	3. Third Blood

“I’m sorry, sir. That was the last of it. We’re not even sure if we’ll be getting another shipment.”

Andrew wanted to scream. He wanted to scream, cry, punch something…but he couldn’t. He just felt numb. Maybe it was the residual shock of seeing the professor’s own Pokémon attack him. Maybe he just no longer cared.

He wasn’t sure anymore.

“Are you sure? Have you checked everywhere?” Prof. Oak asked tiredly.

“I have,” the PokéMart clerk confirmed. “I’m so sorry. I’d call for more to be shipped in but…with communications down…that was all we had. If we’re getting more, I sure don’t know when it’ll get here.”

“We have an ill woman in Pallet Town. She _needs_ that medicine,” Prof. Oak explained. “Her life depends on it.”

“I’m sorry, sir. There’s nothing more I can do for you,” the clerk replied, shaking his head.

“Do you have anything that can help her?” Prof. Oak pressed.

“We’ve run out of most of our stock, sir. I’m not sure how I can help you with this. My apologies,” the clerk answered, wringing his hands.

Andrew stood there silently as Prof. Oak scanned the medical shelves, reading labels and muttering about symptoms. When he came back empty-handed, the boy wanted to cry.

There was nothing left. Viridian was as good as cleaned out.

His mother was doomed.

The trip back to Pallet Town was quiet as they hopped down the ledges and quickly trekked through the lone patch of grass between Route 1 and Pallet Town’s exit. Harold was waiting for them, looking hopeful.

“Did you find anything?” he asked.

“They had nothing. That was the last of Viridian’s shipment,” Prof. Oak replied. “I’m…so sorry…”

“Does that mean…?” Harold looked back toward their house in fear. “Mom is going to…?”

“No.”

Harold and Prof. Oak looked at Andrew. The boy took a deep breath before looking up. He tried to quell his shaking.

“No. Mom’s not going to die. I’m not going to let her,” he shaking argued. “I’m…going to go to Saffron. I’m going to find her some medicine. Maybe even a way to get her to a hospital. I’m not going to sit here and watch her die.”

“Are you nuts? You’ll never make it! You’ll—”

“You’re the one who kept telling me to leave, Harold!” Andrew barked, silencing his older brother. “Well, guess what? I’m the only one who cares here…so I _have_ to go! I’m leaving! Happy? I’m _leaving_! I care enough to leave, to go out there with those _things_ , and try to save mom because everyone else in this stupid town is _useless_! And they don’t care…and I don’t want to…but I’m going to anyway! Because I care enough to!”

Tears were stinging his eyes and his face was red. Harold stared at his brother—his weak, skittish, cowardly ten-year-old brother. His brother, who had been running to Viridian for the past year to get medicine for their mother. His brother, who was terrified of Pokémon. His brother, who was doing what had to be the most insane thing imaginable—going out into the wilderness in a desperate bid to save their mother.

Cathy stepped out of the house, looking worried at her brothers. Harold sighed, running a hand down his face. He looked away, suddenly unable to meet his younger brother’s gaze.

“I don’t think I can do anything to help you. I haven’t trained a Pokémon in years since this happened,” Harold muttered in shame.

“That’s okay. I’ll just learn as I go. And if things get rough…I’ll run, like I do with everything,” Andrew shakily replied.

Harold forced a smile at that. He headed back to the house, gathering his sister in his arms. No doubt he was telling her what was about to happen.

Prof. Oak rested a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “Come with me. If you’re really doing this, then I have some things that you’ll find useful for the trip.”

Andrew didn’t argue. He followed the elder back to his laboratory. Arcanine’s bloodied Poké Ball was left on the desk. Prof. Oak scoured through his materials and equipment before returning to the desk, arms laden with Poké Balls and various bottles and other such things. A familiar red box made Andrew’s heart race.

Certainly not with joy.

“I don’t have much but if you’re doing this, I refuse to send you out unprepared,” Prof. Oak explained. “Poké Balls, in case you find yourself in a situation where that Pikachu won’t be enough. If—I mean, you don’t need to but it could help—if you catch anything, you can send it to me for study. Maybe we can find a cure ourselves that way, maybe even fix this mess before things get any worse.”

 _How much worse can it get than this?_ Andrew wondered faintly.

“Some various status cures. Antidotes, Paralyze Heals, the works. I don’t have many but you’ll need them more than I will. I have a few Potions and one Super Potion, you can take those with you. A few berries, not a lot but they could do in a pinch. Feeding them to that Pikachu might be a challenge but you can keep them for yourself too. They’ll work on humans if you get hurt somehow.”

Prof. Oak rambled some more, pulling out various items and such. Nothing big and fancy, but a good chunk were useful. Andrew accepted the bag that the professor gave him and stored away the items. All that was left now was the PokéDex.

“If you don’t want it, say so. I just… Maybe it can help. Identification is the first step to prevention…and protection, in your case,” Prof. Oak said, awkwardly shuffling.

Andrew knew the real reason behind it. Ever since Red defeated the Indigo League, progress on the PokéDex had decreased. Nobody had ever completed it under Prof. Oak’s watch. His dream had gone unfulfilled thus far.

“I’ll take it. Thank you.” The PokéDex joined the rest of the items in his bag. Andrew looked up at the elder. “I’ll try to contact you when I hit Pewter City. Maybe I can get communications back up as I go.”

“That would help a lot,” Prof. Oak admitted with a tired, hopeful smile. “When you get there, try and find Brock. He’s the Gym Leader in Pewter City. I’m sure he’ll help you without delay if you tell him what’s happened here. He’s always been willing to help others if trouble comes.”

“I will,” Andrew promised, shouldering the bag.

“I’d give you another Pokémon if it’d help but…” Prof. Oak trailed off. The deaths related to the last starter batch still stung freshly in his mind. “That Pikachu is all you have. It’s still feral, so be careful. You’ll need to train it to obey you, show it that you’re the boss. It’s young. It shouldn’t take much.”

“Got it.” Andrew nodded, doubt filling his stomach. Could he even do that?

“Good.” Prof. Oak patted his shoulder. “You’ll only have a few hours of daylight left. Get to Viridian, stay the night, and head for Pewter in the morning. I don’t advise traveling at night.”

“You couldn’t pay me to,” Andrew agreed.

Prof. Oak stepped away, lost. There was nothing else to say or do. Andrew sighed before hugging the elder.

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I can’t do more. I’ll try to help with your mother as best I can.”

“I know you will.”

Andrew headed home after that to pack a few personal items, food, and supplies. Harold dug out a chest from under his bed that contained old goods that he’d kept from his trainer days. The brothers packed together before moving to their mother’s room.

“I’m going to Saffron to get your meds, mom,” Andrew explained, holding her limp hand. “Maybe we can even figure out how to get you to Saffron’s hospital.”

“Aren’t you scared?” his mother asked, voice so soft and raspy that Andrew had to strain his ears to identify the words.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “But I’m more scared of losing you. Prof. Oak and Harold helped me get ready. I even have a Pokémon that Prof. Oak managed to tame—” Okay, that was a lie but he didn’t need to worry his mother with the truth on that matter. “—so I’ll be okay.”

“Do be careful,” she said softly, fingers flexing minutely in his hand.

“Prof. Oak said he’d help care for you until I get back,” Andrew continued. “So you’ll have him and Harold and Cathy caring for you. It’ll be like I’m still here. And I’ll be back before you know it, okay? You just have to hold on.”

“I will,” she promised, giving a soft smile. Her eyes were drooping with exhaustion. “Please be…safe…okay…?”

“I will.” Andrew leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I will…”

She went to sleep again. Andrew let go of her hand and stood up, leaving the room. Cathy and Harold followed him into the hall before he faced them both.

“You have to do everything you can for her. If Prof. Oak needs help, help him. I’m not going to be here to do all the running for you.”

“We know,” Harold said.

“You can’t shut down and hide in here all day, okay? That won’t help mom,” Andrew continued firmly, trying not to scream. “I’m not here. I can’t do anything for you. Now it’s your turn.”

“Just be careful out there,” Cathy requested, staring at the floor. Her eyes were tearing up. “Please…stay safe…”

“I’d go with but…well…” Harold scuffed his socked feet on the floor.

“You’ve done everything you can for me. Thank you, both of you. Just help mom now, until I get back,” Andrew pleaded, hugging his siblings. “I’m going to try and get communications back on when I hit Pewter City. If I do, I’ll contact Prof. Oak. Who knows? Maybe I can get things fixed a bit while I’m running around.”

“We’ll keep an ear out for Oak then,” Harold promised. “Save those Repels for Viridian Forest, okay? They should get you through there safely.”

“I will,” Andrew promised.

The noon sun was sinking already when Andrew left his house. The few residents of Pallet Town were outside, all watching him. Andrew felt his face flush. It was like when Red left town for his journey back before the virus hit. The only difference was the hope placed on his shoulders.

Red just had a dream.

Andrew had a mission.

He stopped before the tall grass leading out of town. His fingers trailed over the straps of his backpack and the hard, round sphere that housed his now permanent partner. The Poké Ball shifted as the creature inside stirred.

He wondered if it knew what was happening.

 _Doesn’t matter,_ Andrew quickly decided, steeling himself for that first step. _All you have to focus on right now is getting to Viridian. You’ve done it a thousand times before. You can do it now. The only difference is that you aren’t coming back here right away. You’re going to keep moving north this time. For mom’s sake…_

Andrew moved fast, darting through the tall grass. In the second patch, a massive bipedal pig with flames around its neck emerged from the grass. It bellowed, smashing its clawed fists together.

 _Don’t hesitate!_ Andrew threw his Poké Ball, unleashing the Pikachu. “Use Thundershock!”

The pig opened its mouth, flames spilling forth. The Pikachu yelped, leaping away. Sparks jumped from the mouse’s cheeks. With a loud screech, the Pikachu pounced on the pig and electrocuted it.

Andrew tugged the PokéDex from his bag’s front pocket, pointing it at the pig. “What are you?”

**“Emboar, the Mega Fire Pig Pokémon. It has mastered fast and powerful fighting moves. A flaring beard of fire is proof that it is fired up. It can throw a fire punch by setting its fists on fire with its fiery chin. It cares deeply about its friends.”**

_“Pikaaa!!”_

Andrew looked up in time to see his Pikachu struck by the Emboar’s fist. The mouse crashed and rolled along the ground, blood spattering its yellow fur. The Emboar snorted, nose dripping with red. It smashed its fists together, beard growing larger and hotter as it stomped toward the fallen mouse.

“Pikachu, use Thundershock! Hurry!” Andrew ordered.

The mouse moved slightly, moaning. The Emboar stopped over it, fist raised to pummel the rodent into the ground.

Andrew wasn’t sure why he had moved. The hard surface of a rock met his fingers. He launched it, the stone bouncing off of the pig’s cheek. The fire pig bellowed, spinning to face him.

“Y-yeah! That was me! Come and get me instead!” Andrew had no idea what he was going to do now.

_“Eeeembo—”_

_“Piiiiikaaaaaa—”_

The Emboar grunted, turning to check behind it. The Pikachu had gotten up, sparks erupted from its battered body.

_“CHUUUUUUUU!!!”_

The Emboar roared as it was struck full force with the lightning bolt. When the electricity cleared, the pig fell backwards into the grass, body smoking. It did not rise again. Andrew almost wondered if it was even still breathing.

“G-good job,” he croaked, pulling out the Poké Ball. “Now go back in—”

The Pikachu stumbled aside, dodging the red beam. Andrew yelped, struggling to hit the mouse as he grew closer and closer. He eventually tripped over one of the Emboar’s limbs, hitting the ground back-first. The Pikachu pounced on his chest, wobbling there.

“N-no! Bad Pikachu! Ba—”

_“Pikaaaa…”_

He expected teeth in his face, his neck. He didn’t expect fur. Granted, it stank of blood and death but not as badly as it could have.

The Pikachu settled on his chest, eyes drooping. Exhausted. Tiny body battered from the Emboar’s fist.

It made no move to hurt Andrew. It just perched there, pained but still conscious.

Andrew didn’t dare move. He knew he should get to Viridian City soon. Night was rapidly falling, the sky darkening overhead. Yet Pikachu did not move.

So neither did Andrew.

.F.E.R.A.L.

The sky was almost fully indigo by the time the Pikachu moved. It rolled off of Andrew’s chest, flopping onto the grass. Shaking off the blood, the mouse gave a low hiss as it surveyed the area.

Andrew slowly sat up, trying not to alert the Pikachu. The mouse ignored him, sniffing and hissing. With slow, smooth movements, Andrew rose to his feet and brushed off his shirt.

Yeah, those bloodstains weren’t coming off. Wonderful.

“Okay, back in yo—HEY!”

Pikachu took off like a shot further into the grass. Andrew chased it, terror lodging in his throat. If he lost this Pikachu, how was he ever going to get past Viridian?

He exited the patch of grass, panting. Pikachu had finally stopped, gnawing on something. When Andrew got closer, he wished he hadn’t.

They were bones. Human bones, if he had to guess. Pikachu was gnawing on a rib, cracking the hard bone to get at any remaining marrow inside. The bones were scattered, many of them scored with tooth and claw marks.

“Hey, s-stop that!” he croaked, looking around in sudden worry.

This body wasn’t in the grass. Had the Pokémon left the grass in order to get to it? Could the Pokémon leave the grass at anytime? Why hadn’t they come into Pallet Town then?

On second thought, he didn’t want to know. Maybe they were too scared of the Professor’s Pokémon to enter Pallet Town.

The Pikachu ignored him, munching a bit longer before dropping the bone. Satisfied, the mouse bounded away further down the route. Andrew chased it, trying not to lose sight of it.

Was the last bit of sunset light tricking him? Or did Pikachu’s fur look…brighter? More healthy-looking compared to several minutes ago?

Andrew managed to catch up midway through the next patch of grass. Disgust hit him when he found Pikachu gnawing on another bone.

Something black and battered-looking was in the grass nearby. He carefully edged around the skeleton and his feasting Pokémon, keeping an eye out for any approaching wild Pokémon. He crouched, picking up the box. It looked like a voice recorder of some kind.

He brushed it off gently, wiping it with the edge of his shirt. He pressed the buttons but nothing worked. Was it dead? Maybe somebody in Viridian City would know.

He stuck it in his bag just as the Pikachu squeaked, pawing at something hidden among the bones. A white and purple spray bottle. A Potion! Andrew quickly swatted the growling Pikachu away, scooping up the item.

His joy was promptly dashed when the ground shook under him. From the grass a short distance away rose a large purple creature covered in tubes and holes. Air whistled through it. Large black and red eyes landed on the boy and Pikachu, a growl escaping its huge mouth.

Andrew’s hand shakily lifted the PokéDex.

**“Exploud, the Loud Noise Pokémon. It communicates its feelings to others by emitting whistle-like sounds from the tubes on its body. This Pokémon only raises its voice when it is in battle. It triggers earthquakes with the tremors it creates by bellowing. If this Pokémon violently inhales from the ports on its body, it’s a sign that it is preparing to let loose a huge bellow.”**

The Exploud stepped back and unleashed a loud bellow, shaking the very air in front of it. Pikachu darted out of the way but Andrew wasn’t nearly as fast. The blow struck him as if the Pokémon had physically hit him. He skidded and crashed, hitting a tree behind him.

 _“Pika!”_ Pikachu snarled, charging at the Exploud. _“PikaaaaaaCHUUUU!!”_

_“EeeeexPLOUD!!”_

Andrew’s ears rang, wind knocked out of him. He didn’t want to move, pain tearing through him. He could taste blood in his mouth. Had he bitten his tongue? Had he broken some ribs?

_“CHUUUUU!!”_

Andrew could see bright light behind his eyelids. He laid there on the grass, not moving. Too afraid, in too much pain. He had no clue what his Pikachu or the wild Exploud were doing. If he was about to die or not.

There was a mighty crash, along with the splintering of bone. The grass rustled before fur brushed his arm. Paws landed on him and a low hissing sound struck his ears.

_“Pika. Pika!”_

Andrew groggily opened his eyes. His Pikachu, blood decorating its mouth and teeth, perched there beside him. The mouse hissed before lunging, teeth tearing into his ear. Andrew yelled, bolting upright and clapping a hand over the injury.

“Ow! Why did you do that?” he demanded.

His Pikachu did not respond. It turned away, darting for the edge of the grass patch. Then it sat there, waiting patiently.

Andrew, spurred on by the pain from his ear, slowly lurched to his feet. He stumbled after the Pikachu, hand pressed to the bite. At least his ear was still there. He had been initially afraid that the Pokémon had taken it off.

He barely paid attention. He just focused on taking one step at a time. Keep moving. Don’t stop.

The Pikachu would hiss occasionally, sparks shooting at the grass around them. Shadowy forms darted away from the bolts. Andrew focused on the mouse’s tail, following it. He wasn’t sure why.

The tall grass ran out and a dirt path began. He shakily looked up, the sign welcoming him to Viridian City looming ahead of him. Buildings and the dozen or so people living in Viridian City watched him approach.

The PokéMart clerk reached out to grab the boy when he stumbled, only to scramble away. The Pikachu hissed, leaping at him.

“No! D-don’t! Be good!” Andrew choked.

“We saw everything! Are you okay?”

“He needs a doctor!”

“Is that thing wild? Why is it helping him?”

“Move! Move! Let the poor boy through!” an old man barked, shoving people away. “You there! Get those Center doors open! This boy needs some help and rest!”

People scrambled away, some pulling open the doors of the Pokémon Center while others got out of the hissing Pikachu’s way. The old man grasped Andrew’s arm, helping him walk. His cane swatted at the Pikachu when it drew close.

The last thing Andrew recalled was lying down on a couch. Then he blacked out.


	4. Fourth Blood

Andrew woke up in a dimly-lit Pokémon Center lobby. He only recognized the location because of the Poké Ball logo on the ceiling, along with the red and white color scheme. Pikachu was resting on his chest, fast asleep, sparks jumping from its cheeks every few seconds.

Sitting nearby was an old man with a cane. He was looking over a voice recorder.

Wait, that was the one he’d found in the grass!

“You’re finally awake? Good. Maybe you can help me explain why we’re keeping that creature here in town.”

“What?” Andrew slowly sat up, jumping when his Pikachu startled awake. The mouse hissed before calming, settling on his lap. “Um…”

“Most of the residents wanted to kill it. After the virus outbreak, Pokémon ceased being our friends…yet that one led you out of trouble. Protected you, even against us,” the old man explained. “We’ve never seen that before.”

“I don’t even know what’s going on. Protected me? He’s the reason that my ear is bleeding!” Andrew protested, hands finding the thick bandage stuck on his ear.

“Yet he guided you here after killing that Exploud in the grass. Sent out warning shocks when anything else got close. And when you got here, he tried to keep anyone from touching you,” the old man said. “Though a good smack with my cane made him back off. Pounced right on you the instant I got you in here.”

Andrew was trying to listen to the old man. Really, he was. But he couldn’t get his eyes off of his Pikachu. The feral mouse just sat there on his lap, cozy and passive. Not at all like the spitfire ball of rage that it had been since he’d gotten it.

Why was it behaving so differently now?

“A phone. I need to contact Prof. Oak,” Andrew requested.

“Kid, the phones have been down for years. People have run back and forth but…not so much anymore,” the old man said, shaking his head. “What are you even doing here? I thought the meds ran out at the Mart.”

“They did. I’m going to Saffron.”

“Saffron? You’ll be lucky to make it to Pewter,” the old man exclaimed. “Are you serious?”

“I have to. They might be able to help my mom. She’s sick, maybe dying,” Andrew explained. “Saffron has a hospital. Maybe they ca—”

“ _Had_ , kid. A lot has changed. We used to have a gym here, a Gym Leader to protect us. Not anymore,” the old man said gently. “What will you do if it’s not there?”

“It has to be! I can’t just give up, not until I know for certain,” Andrew argued. “And right now…the only way to know is to go there.”

“With just that Pikachu?” the old man asked.

“I have Poké Balls, but yeah. Just this Pikachu.”

“Is he caught?”

“Yeah,” Andrew confirmed. “I caught it by accident. It’s young. It still needs taming but…it hasn’t killed me yet.”

“Unlike that Exploud,” the old man muttered. “Viridian Forest is going to be tough, kid. Maybe you should work on training that Pikachu. Taming him too. It can never hurt, not if you’re going to Saffron together.”

“Train where? I’ve never been beyond Viridian before,” Andrew admitted.

“Route 22 to the west would be good. The Indigo League is over there too. Of course, the gates are shut and nobody can get in anymore,” the old man instructed. “Then you have Route 2 to the north. Viridian Forest is just beyond that, past the gateway station.”

Andrew stared down at his Pikachu. The mouse didn’t budge, not even to hiss. It just sat there, eyeing the old man warily.

Andrew slowly nodded. “Yeah, that…might be a good idea. Thanks for the advice.”

“Might be worth cleaning the Mart out for any extra supplies they might have lying around. Every bit helps,” the old man added, shakily getting to his feet.

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that too,” Andrew admitted, hesitantly stroking Pikachu’s back.

The mouse bristled but did not attack. It didn’t even electrocute him. It was just alert, aware of his hand yet…trusting the fact that he wouldn’t hurt it. That was new.

He barely noticed the old man leaving.

.F.E.R.A.L.

The PokéMart didn’t have much left in it. Supplies were few and far in-between, but it seems the Pokémon supplies were more plentiful. Andrew scooped up the Potions and status-healing items. There were Poké Balls too, which he grabbed.

It made him wonder. If he crossed anything else…could he catch it? Or would that be too risky?

He shook his head. The only reason Pikachu wasn’t killing him was because it was young and in the process of trusting him. No other Pokémon would be like that, he was pretty sure. The Poké Balls were better off used as distractions or weapons, if needed.

This wasn’t a journey to “catch them all”, as Prof. Oak would say. This was a journey to get his mother some medicine and hopefully a hospital stay.

Once he’d gathered all that he could and paid for it—the clerk let him take it all for a fraction of the normal price, which was nice—Andrew headed west toward Route 22. It was a short route surrounded by trees with a few ledges and thick grass patches. In the distance, he could see the entry gates to the Indigo League.

The gates were scored with claw marks and scorches. Probably by Pokémon. Nobody had been there in ages since the outbreak, whether to go in or exit. The gates wouldn’t let you pass without the right combination of Gym badges which, obviously, weren’t really acquirable anymore.

Andrew ignored the gates. There was no point in going in there anyway. It was safer out here.

The Pikachu walked ahead of him, still refusing to return to its Pokémon Ball. At least it wasn’t running away anymore. This could make battles quicker too. No need to waste time tossing out a Poké Ball.

He stopped at the edge of a grass patch, watching the Pikachu dart in. Its filthy yellow fur stuck out among all the green. Andrew watched it, keeping an eye out for any other shapes or colors.

It didn’t take long for something to appear.

The Pikachu hissed, leaping back as a large black and white canine emerged. It snarled, teeth bared and red eyes narrowed. Sparks jumped from the Pikachu’s cheeks.

Andrew aimed his PokéDex at it.

**“Mightyena, the Bite Pokémon. This Pokémon gives obvious signals when it is preparing to attack. It starts to growl deeply and then flattens its body. Then it will bite savagely with its sharply pointed fangs. They travel and act as a pack in the wild. This compels tame Mightyena to obey only those trainers that it recognizes to possess superior skill.”**

Just as the PokéDex was describing its attack behavior, the Mightyena moved to perform it. Fear struck Andrew and he made to cry out, only for the Pikachu to launch an attack. He charged, electricity erupting from his cheeks, sharp teeth sinking into its red nose.

The hyena reared back with a pained howl, a burst of golden electricity consuming it. The scent of burning hair and flesh made Andrew turn away. Even weak, the Pikachu was insanely powerful.

 _“Pika!”_ The mouse leaped away as the hound shook its head, throwing him off.

“Pikachu, we have to be caref—”

Andrew’s words were cut off when the Mightyena’s growling suddenly became yelping. It was dragged backward into the tall grass, seeming to vanish. Andrew tensed. Something bigger had to be in there somewhere, hidden in a few inches of grass.

Then his nightmare emerged, shaking the dying Mightyena to and fro. The Hydreigon roared, proceeding to tear the black and white hyena to pieces.

Andrew stumbled backward, PokéDex beeping as it registered the behemoth’s presence.

**“Hydreigon, the Brutal Pokémon. This Pokémon travels the skies on its six wings. Anything that moves seems like a foe to it, triggering its attack. The heads on their arms do not have brains. They use all three heads to consume and destroy everything.”**

The Hydreigon didn’t seem to notice them. Andrew took advantage of that, diving to pick up his Pikachu. The mouse squeaked, squirming and thrashing. It had not forgotten the attack back on Route 1 against the immense dragon.

“No, stay still! We’re leaving! It’ll kill us!” Andrew pleaded, sprinting back toward Viridian City.

_“Pikaaa!”_

He didn’t stop until he reached the city again. Though it was hardly safe, it was better than the open wilderness of the route. He sat on a bench, hugging his squirming Pokémon close.

“What’s the matter with you?” Andrew noticed he still had his PokéDex in hand. “Maybe this can tell me what’s up with you.”

**“Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can build and cause lightning storms. It keeps its tail raised to monitor its surroundings. If you yank its tail, it will try to bite you. It lives in forests far away from people and stores electricity in its cheeks for zapping an enemy if it is attacked.”**

“I guess not,” Andrew muttered. “Maybe these aren’t even accurate anymore. I mean, this was built before the virus hit.”

“There you are! I hoped you’d be back when I fixed it!”

Andrew jolted, the Pikachu leaping on his shoulder to hiss. The old man hobbled over, voice recorder in his hand.

“I managed to fix it. Seems whoever this poor fellow was tried to do what you’re doing now, taming those ferals,” the old man said, swatting at the hissing mouse. He held out the voice recorder. “This should work now. It seems to be a rather simple idea on how to tame these guys.”

Andrew accepted the recorder, pressing PLAY. There was static before a male voice began to speak.

**“I’ve finally done it. I think I’ve figured out how to tame these creatures. It’s stupidly simple! They’re attracted to bones and meat. A fresh kill tends to get the most attention. If you set some of this bait out, you should be able to lure in a Pokémon. Treat it like you would in a Safari Zone game. I’ve had a lot of success in finding bait deep in the Viridian Forest. Hopefully in my next recording, I ca—”**

The voice broke off into crackling static. The PLAY button clicked off.

“That’s all that was on there. If there was anymore, it’s been erased somehow. The recorder was pretty busted up but I think I got it working again. It might be useful to you,” the old man offered.

“Thank you.” Andrew tucked the recorder into the same pocket that he had his PokéDex in. “You were right. The league gates are completely sealed off. I tried to train but…I think I’m being followed by this Pokémon, a Hydreigon. I don’t know how it crossed from Route 1 to Route 22 without someone seeing it!”

“Are you sure it’s the same Pokémon?” the old man asked, brow rose curiously.

“I don’t know how but…I’m pretty sure it is,” Andrew admitted, hugging himself. “I just… I just know it is.”

“Hmmm. If you think it is, then I don’t know how nobody could’ve seen it cross through. We aren’t many but we’re all alert to the denizens of the grass now,” the old man said, rubbing his chin. “There might be more to this then we believe or understand.”

“It can fly. Could it have flown over the city?” Andrew wondered.

“It’s possible. We’re not exactly looking up as much as we are looking around us,” the old man admitted.

“Great,” Andrew muttered. “I’m being followed by a man-eating monster.”

The old man didn’t say anything else. He simply patted Andrew on the shoulder and hobbled away.

.F.E.R.A.L.

_“Rugly!”_

_“Pikaaa!”_

The rotund gray and white cat dropped to the ground, red splashes on its striped fur. Andrew tried not to look too closely as he passed it by. The Pikachu moved in, biting at the dead feline.

“Pikachu, come on! Please?” Andrew asked.

The Pikachu hissed, tearing a piece away. Then he trotted after the boy, swallowing the mouthful of meat. Andrew shuddered, hugging himself as they left Route 2.

The gateway station was empty of people. A few of the chairs were knocked over and the scenic pictures were torn. There was a brown stain in the corner that Andrew tried not to look at.

Stepping out of the northern door, he was surrounded in thick greenery and noise. The Viridian Forest, once on the verge of destruction due to lumbering, was thriving quite well now. It was even thicker and denser than before, the old foot trails of mankind overgrown in grass and shrubbery. Birdsong and insect noises came from all directions, along with an ominous rustling of near-endless grass.

Andrew suddenly understood what the old man meant. With the trail like this, he would be lucky to reach Pewter City alive. There weren’t any bare patches of ground to be seen. It was all tall grass, prime Pokémon territory.

He was grateful to have trained on Route 2 while he could. His Pikachu had gotten a bit stronger and faster, and he seemed to be coming back more often on command now. Maybe he was somehow bonding with the electric mouse.

“Bait, huh?” Andrew muttered, recalling the voice recording’s advice. “How do I find that in here without getting lost?”

 _“Pika!”_ The mouse darted into the grass without warning.

“Huh? Wait! Don’t run off! Pikachu!” Andrew cried, hesitantly running after him. “Oh no. Pikachu!”

_“Pika!”_

Why did that sound so far away suddenly?

Andrew tried to swallow back his fear. He kept running, chasing the cries that the mouse made. The grass soon thinned and there was his Pikachu, munching away at a pile of bone and gore. Flies buzzed from it.

It was fresh.

 _“Pika!”_ the mouse squeaked, looking up at the boy in triumph. Blood spattered his mouth, dying his fur again.

Andrew shivered, looking around. Surely whatever made this kill was hanging around. But nothing emerged to chase them off or reclaim the meat.

“Pikachu, we have to go,” Andrew said softly, crouching near it.

He pulled out a plastic bag from a small box he had found at the Mart back in Viridian. Though it disgusted him, he carefully began to bag up some of the gore pile. He had no interest in gathering more Pokémon…but there were ones stronger than Pikachu that could beat him. Andrew would rather have the option to obtain another, if he could successfully catch and tame it.

Pikachu hissed a bit but didn’t stop the boy. He munched at a bone, cracking it open to gnaw at the marrow inside.

Long ears suddenly shot upright. The mouse abandoned his meal and hissed, darting in front of Andrew. The boy sealed the bag and stood, stumbling back as the weirdest thing he’d ever imagined entered the clearing.

It was like a multicolored ball with two cyan eyes on it and a third perched atop it on a black appendage atop its head. It was mostly black with a green zigzag pattern around it. It had a pair of wings and a tail that were golden with blue and red stripes on its feathers. Two small black feet and two small white spikes were at its base, around the tail.

Andrew lifted his PokéDex, unsure of what it was.

**“Sigilyph, the Avianoid Pokémon. Psychic powers allow these Pokémon to fly. They were the guardians of ancient cities and fly the same routes in search of invaders. If any are found, these Pokémon will attack with their psychic powers. The ruins of these cities were found beneath the sands.”**

_“Pikaaaa!”_ Pikachu hissed, sparks crackling from his cheeks.

_“Sig.”_

The Sigilyph flapped its skinny wings, whipping up an impressive gust. The Pikachu tried to hold its ground, only to be sent flying into a tree several yards away. Andrew yelped, spinning to try and retrieve him. The Sigilyph suddenly appeared in front of him, glowing with psychic energy.

_“Sig.”_

Andrew stepped backward, swaying. Why did he feel so tired suddenly? The Sigilyph was staring right at him, eyes aglow. They were rather beautiful. Andrew couldn’t stop staring at them.

Pikachu’s faint cry was the last thing Andrew heard before his world suddenly fell dark.

.F.E.R.A.L.

_“Kaaa!”_

_“Niiiiii!”_

_“Pika ka!”_

_“Legoooo?”_

“Nnn.” Andrew slowly stirred. He felt very heavy and tired. He couldn’t recall what had happened. “Pika…chu…?”

_“Pika!”_

Fur brushed his fingers. Andrew slowly lifted his head. There was his Pikachu, filthy as usual. There was a mound of black and green...something…lying nearby. A Pokémon? Andrew tried to dig through his memory.

As he sat up, he gagged. The stench of death hit him. Whatever it was, it was definitely dead. There was a sour tang in the air too that he couldn’t place.

_“Pika!”_

_“Niiiihiii!”_

Andrew looked up, alarmed. Why was a little girl giggling? Why was one here at all? Then he froze, spotted the hunched form of the giggler. It was no child.

It looked almost like a jellyfish, large stars decorating its bell. The way its tentacles were shaped, it almost looked like a person. It was seated atop the black and green form, almost engulfing it with its tentacles.

For a moment, he almost thought it looked like a hat and wig.

The creature seemed content where it was, pulsing and giggling. His Pikachu seemed to keep his distance but was squeaking at it in a non-aggressive manner. Andrew wondered if the feeling he was getting, the mouse was too. Something was off about that Pokémon.

He lifted his PokéDex, flinching when it seemed to shift in his direction. It was drawn by the noise.

**“Nihilego, the Parasite Pokémon. One of several mysterious Ultra Beasts, it appeared in this world through an Ultra Wormhole. It’s unclear whether or not this Pokémon is sentient, but sometimes it can be observed behaving like a young girl. It is thought to produce a strong neurotoxin and lives by feeding on people and Pokémon. People on the street report observing those infested by it suddenly becoming violent.”**

_“Nihi?”_

_“Pika pi,”_ Pikachu squeaked, moving to put himself before Andrew. Between him and the Nihilego. _“Pikachu pika!”_

 _“Niiiihiiiii!”_ it giggled, lifting off of the form it had perched on.

Suddenly Andrew recognized it. The Sigilyph. Had it been killed after he’d passed out? It barely looked like itself anymore, more of a husk, as if it had been drained.

The Nihilego drifted toward him. Andrew got to his feet, snatching up a stick nearby. Pikachu hissed, a jolt of electricity striking his hand. The boy yelped, stumbling backward.

“Pikachu, what are yo—”

Then the Nihilego was right in front of him.

Andrew froze in terror. _It’s a parasite. It feeds on people and Pokémon. Did it do that to the Sigilyph? Is it going to do that to me now? Why is Pikachu letting it do this? Why?_

The Nihilego’s tentacles shifted. There was a sharp tug at his belt. Andrew’s hands shot up to grab at his belt, a thousand horrible thoughts crossing his mind. The Nihilego withdrew with a giggle, something shining in its tentacles. It dropped the object onto the grass and swayed.

It was one of his PokéBalls.

 _“Pika!”_ Pikachu prompted.

Andrew stared, lost briefly. “Do you…want to go with us? You don’t…want to kill me?”

 _“Niiihiiihiiii!”_ it giggled, swaying all around as if jumping in delight.

“You’re not acting like the other ferals,” Andrew noted, picking up the PokéBall. “Maybe it’s because you’re a…Ultra Beast, was it?”

The Nihilego kept giggling. He could see what the PokéDex meant. If he couldn’t see it from the front, it really did appear and behave like a little girl would.

“Okay then,” Andrew said.

He gently tossed the PokéBall. The Nihilego giggled as it was sucked inside. The sphere glowed and twitched a few times before falling still, pinging.

He hesitated before picking the sphere up. It suddenly snapped open, unleashing the Ultra Beast in a blast of white light. Andrew stumbled back with a frightened cry.

_“Nihiii nihiii!”_

“It looks like none of you like staying in there, huh?” Andrew muttered.

Weight suddenly settled on him. The boy froze, realizing Nihilego was no longer in front of him. Tentacles dangled around him like a curtain. It was rather dark now.

_“Niiihiiiiii…”_

Andrew proceeded to scream.


End file.
